Discussion

pork chop, apples and onion recipe

I want to fix a dish with loin chops, red onions and apples, but cannot find oneanywhere. I thought about slicing the onions, caramelizing them in a pan, and thenslicing the apples thinly and cooking a bit and then browning the chops and puttingit all into a dutch oven with a bit of seasoning and some chicken broth.I am at a loss but I do want to fix this type of dish for company next Thursday.Does anyone have any suggestions???

1. Melt butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan.2. Season chops with salt and pepper and brown them quickly on both sides on medium high heat (they do not need to be cooked through). Remove the chops and set aside.3. In the drippings (add more butter if necessary) gently cook the onions till translucent on medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook just till the garlic parts with its fragrance.4. Add the sliced apples, cider/juice, and vermouth and cook over medium heat until the mixture reduces down just a little. Re-add the chops and cook just until the chops are cooked through.5. Remove the chops and place on a serving platter. Taste the sauce and add more salt/pepper if necessary. While sauce is simmering and bubbly, gradually add enough cornstarch mixed with the cold water until the sauce is sufficiently thickened. Pour sauce over chops.

I think this dish goes very nicely with long grain and wild rice, crusty bread and butter, and a veggie.

I have made and enjoyed almost the exact dish above, except that I sauteed the apples with the onions, put the chops on top and baked for 10 min in a 350 oven. Then rest the chops while you put about half a cup of white wine in with the apples and onions and reduce for a minute or two. You get more of a compote than a sauce, but still delicious.

2. Melt butter with oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chops and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate; pour off all but 1 Tbsp. fat from pot. Add onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth, increase heat to high and stir to remove any browned bits from bottom.

3. Return chops to pot and add apples. Reduce heat to medium, cover pot and cook until chops are tender and apples are softened, about 30 minutes. Serve chops topped with apples, onion and parsley, if desired.Nutritional Information

Delia Smith is a hugely popular cookbook author in the UK. This recipe comes from her "One is Fun" cookbook that's at least 25 years old, but it is delicious! I don't know how many you are serving, but you could increase the quantity without much difficulty. Her target audience is for people with limited cooking skill like myself and I added even more basic info to prepare this recipe for my young adult nieces/nephews. So, apologies for the detail and feel free to fiddle with it.

DirectionsChop the apple into small chunks, leaving the skin on. Chop the onion into a smaller dice. Melt the butter with a little vegetable oil (which keeps the oil from browning too much). When it begins to foam, add the apple and onion and turn the heat to medium/medium-low. Sauté the mixture for about 8 minutes until they become a nice toasted golden color around the edges.

When cooked, remove the apple/onion mixture using a slotted spoon and put to one side. Season the pork chop on both sides with salt and pepper and turn the heat up to medium. Cook the pork chop for about 7 minutes on each side (depending on thickness), turning the heat to low halfway through.

As soon as the chop is cooked, return the apple and onion to the pan and pour in the cider or wine. Let it bubble and reduce to about half its original volume. Optional: Stir in the milk/cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce and let that cook a couple of minutes. Serve the chop with the apple/onion piled on top.

Notes1) The ratio of onion to apple is about 1 part apple to ¾ part onion, but you can adjust to your taste, either upward or downward. I also usually make more of the mixture, using 2 apples and 2 onions as it’s a good dish for other meals.2) I generally use hard cider (called dry cider and sold most everywhere in the liquor department near the beer), which has some alcohol, or white wine, but you could use non-alcoholic apple cider or apple juice which would make it a bit sweeter (so increase the onion?)3) The original recipe calls for 1 TBS of full cream to add some richness. I often skip this ingredient altogether or use milk mixed with cornstarch (1 TBS milk : 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch) which will thicken the residual liquid a bit.

Nice choice! This style dish and combo is one of my go-to's. Depending on my whim that day, I may also add a bay leaf, caraway seeds, mushrooms, potatoes and/or saurkraut. The same ingredients play well with chicken, too. Great comfort food that always gets good reviews! I have used a large skillet and dutch oven with equal success stove-top and the house smells wonderful ;)